British Open Golf 2021: Daily Fantasy Picks, Strategy and Tips
July 14, 2021
American golfers have had a hard time securing the Claret Jug in the last decade.
Phil Mickelson, Zach Johnson and Jordan Spieth are the only Americans to win the British Open since 2010. Five Europeans and two South Africans have won during that span.
A handful of United States players landed in high finishing positions, but the overall success has been minimal at what is now the season's final men's golf major.
The good news for the American contingent at Royal St. George's this week is there are a few strong contenders, including Spieth, who could bring the Claret Jug back across the Atlantic Ocean for the first time since 2017.
Spieth will be a popular daily fantasy golf selection, as will Xander Schauffele, who seems to be competitive at every major he competes at.
Even if you prefer a few American golfers for your lineup, you should still fill the back part of it out with experienced European players to strike a nice balance over four days.
Daily Fantasy Picks
Utilize Jordan Spieth As The Top American Player
Spieth reeled off three top-10 finishes at The Open Championship from 2015-18, and he won the title in 2017.
The 27-year-old finished inside the top 30 in each of the season's first three majors, and he is in some of the best form on the PGA Tour.
Spieth landed inside the top 30 in each of his last seven appearances on the PGA Tour, so you can at least rely on his consistency going into Royal St. George's.
Spieth carries the fifth-highest salary of any golfer in FanDuel's main tournament for The Open, but he could be well worth the price if he remains consistent and banks off his experience on links courses.
If you target Spieth as one of your high-salary players, Rickie Fowler could be worth a look to complement him at $9,400.
Fowler has not had great results lately, but he does have three top-10 finishes at The Open, and he landed in a tie for fifth the last time Royal St. George's hosted the tournament back in 2011.
Spieth and Fowler could be used in a stack of American players with Schauffele, who has nine top-10 major placings since 2017, to go along with whomever you choose from the European contingent for your six-man lineup.
One other American to consider is Kevin Kisner, who has a $8,900 salary. He has a second-place finish at The Open from 2018 and could fly under the radar with a low roster percentage.
Include Some Experienced European Players
Since Tiger Woods last captured The Open in 2006, seven European players captured eight wins at the tournament.
Francesco Molinari and Shane Lowry were the latest Europeans to secure the Claret Jug with multi-stroke victories in 2018 and 2019, respectively.
The last two champions of the event are worth looks for DFS lineups, but so are players who have plenty of links experience and some solid results at The Open to back up consideration.
Tommy Fleetwood finished a distant second to Lowry in 2019, and he owns three straight top-30 marks at The Open.
Tyrrell Hatton, Lee Westwood and Danny Willett were all in the top 10 at some point in 2019, and they could all carry extra motivation to win a major on home soil in England.
Outside of the English players, Sergio Garcia should be a solid play from the European group. He has 10 career top-10 finishes at The Open and comes in at a decent salary of $9,500.
If you strike the right balance of experienced links players with some in-form Americans, you should find yourself in a good position to win some cash when the weekend rolls around.
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